Norwegian Epic docks in Nassau
By CHESTER ROBARDS – Business Reporter – crobards@tribunemedia.net
THE MEGA Cruise Vessel Norwegian Epic pulled into Nassau Harbour yesterday promising around 4,000 more cruise visitors to the island per trip and bringing a possible $7.7 million in passenger spending through 2010.
Minister of Tourism, Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, told this paper recently that the spending per visitor has been on the increase this year and although its actual level has yet to be calculated, the mean amount has traditionally been from $80 to $100 per person. And spending by crew who disembark a vessel, and other fees paid per passenger raises that number significantly.
The Epic is the second Genesis class ship to pull into this nation’s central cruise port in less than one year and the Bahamas is expecting a third by year end – Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s (RCCL) Allure of the Seas.
Mr Vanderpool-Wallace, speaking at a plaque exchange ceremony aboard the Epic, said there may be no public works project that has a quicker return on investment like the dredging of Nassau Harbour to accommodate these Genesis class vessels.
The cruise industry has been the bolstering force behind the Bahamas’ tourism sector in the past two years, as this country’s economy followed the global downward trend that the US financial meltdown of 2008 brought.
When US stopover visitors began to founder as their unemployment skyrocketed, the cruise industry went into a selling frenzy, slashing their rates to attract a public hungry for travel and starving for a deal. And as the Bahamas has been one of the foremost cruise ports in the region, the local economy then began to rely on cruise passenger spending.
With three Genesis class vessels scheduled to visit the port of Nassau regularly in 2011, the Bahamas could see an enormous spike in cruise visitor numbers and a significant economic impact on the country.
Mr Vanderpool-Wallace said during his presentation that taxi drivers, straw vendors and tour operators stand benefit greatly from the influx of cruise visitors.
The Epic can accommodate almost 6,000 passengers and crew and weighing in at 155,000 tonnes, will be one of the largest vessels to birth in any local ports.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, speaking at the plaque exchange ceremony, thanked the NCL company for its 60 year dedication to the Bahamas and the work they are doing at their private island, Great Stirrup Cay.
The ship is Norwegian’s latest freestyle cruising vessel and features 19 decks; 40 dining, bar and lounge options; an ice bar, beach club, The Blue Man Group as entertainment and even a bowling alley.
“We are thrilled to have Norwegian Epic set sail on its first Caribbean voyage,” said Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer Kevin Sheehan, in an NCL release. “Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive so far and we are looking forward to a really strong and successful inaugural season.”
